Preparing nestboxes and platforms for the upcoming nesting season always begins in early March. On Friday, March 6, I loaded 25 boxes and their baffles into my hobby car, a 98 Saturn-SL. I have permanently removed the car’s passenger seat so I can use it as a truck. Saturday was a beautiful day as I returned nestboxes and baffles to their poles that stand five each, in five rows, spaced 25 yards apart, in a nestbox grid for Tree Swallow
I had planned to take advantage of frozen ice and soil that allowed me to walk on even surfaces as I delivered a baffle and nestbox to each pole that stands in its field all year. I store boxes and baffles in my basement during the off-season to avoid hunting seasons. It took me less than three hours to complete my task.
Next, I prepared to reinstall the grid along Panhandle Road that holds 30 boxes along with two boxes that are near the hunters’ parking lot across the road from the grid. But, since I have season tickets for the Central Ohio Symphony, I only had time to listen to works by Tchaikovsky in the afternoon, and the reinstallation in the grid along Panhandle Road took place on Monday, March 9.
I still have five nestboxes to install along the north side of Leonardsburg Road adjoining the Green Tree Marsh on the west side of the wildlife area’s flood levee, but the project will have to wait for the marsh’s ice to melt before I can reinstall boxes there since I have to also reinstall the poles with a post pounder.
I made a very exciting observation on Tuesday, March 10 as I was driving north on Hogback Road. I was worried about slabs of ice and water flowing around and through our signs that surround our four Osprey nest platforms at the northern end of Alum Creek Lake. It was very foggy as my car descended the hill across from the platforms, and as I glanced in my side mirror I saw a large dark bird’s white tail as it curved and dropped to a lower elevation. I was sure that I had just spotted a Bald Eagle. I decided to turn my car around and confirm my observation, and I’m glad I did. Perched on one of our Osprey’s favorite limbs across from platforms two and three, stood a mature Bald Eagle. I slowly passed the bird and made a quick turnaround in the state park’s parking lot to slip past our nation’s symbol a second time. The large, serene raptor paid no attention to my creeping car.
Was the eagle waiting to spot a fish in the fast melting water below, or was it contemplating claiming one of our nest platforms for its own family? Every year since 2001, Dick Phillips and I have cleaned the previous season’s Osprey nests from their platforms during February or early March in order to prevent Canada Geese from winning platforms. Our thinking this year is that frozen ice and snow has prevented geese from feeding normally, and the Canada Goose nesting season will be delayed because of their temporary malnourishment. In other words, the Ospreys will return from their wintering grounds to reclaim their nest platforms before the geese recover from the harsh winter.
If an eagle pair ever claims one of our platforms for their nest site, that will be an exciting state of affairs to witness. At this time, I don’t think any eagles will try to snatch an Osprey platform, but only time will tell.
Today, Thursday, March 12, I worked in the northern third of Delaware State Park all afternoon to prepare fifty boxes for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows. I added grease to poles and removed weather stripping from the ventilation slot above the front panel. I did see one male Eastern Bluebird but none of the boxes examined today showed any sign of roosting birds.
On the other hand, I evicted five families of deer mice including three families of two, one of seven, and one huge family or a commune of eight mice. All appeared to be full grown or nearly so. Their nests were round balls of vegetation that filled two-thirds of the cavity with a urine-soaked foundation that I had to scrape out with a putty knife.
Every winter, mice move into some boxes after the grease freezes. As I wiggled each mouse-box’s pole, the mice jumped free from the box’s opened front. Once I evict a mouse family and clean the box, I add fresh grease that usually acts as a deterrent so the box remains available for the birds.
I was encouraged to find the mice after such a harsh winter. I thought of our 18 kestrel boxes and the mice in my bluebird nestboxes might be an indicator that other species of rodents also made it through the winter, species found along our country roads where sparrow hawks can hunt them from the utility wires above.
I have lots to do by April 1, including 116 more boxes in Delaware State Park alone. During the rest of March, I will work diligently to have all of my boxes ready for our feathered friends.